Translation guide
The English word "fraud" covers both criminal deception and a person who deceives. In Japanese, these are expressed with different words, and the legal/criminal sense has specific terms.
The crime of deceiving someone for financial or personal gain.
The general legal term for fraud, covering various types of deception for gain.
彼は詐欺の罪で逮捕された。
He was arrested on fraud charges.
その会社は詐欺行為で訴えられた。
The company was sued for fraudulent activities.
Specifically the crime of fraud in legal contexts.
詐欺罪で起訴された。
He was indicted for fraud.
A colloquial term for a swindle or con, often used for smaller-scale tricks.
あの話はペテンだよ。
That story is a fraud.
A person who pretends to be something they are not, often to deceive others.
A con artist or swindler; someone who commits fraud professionally.
彼は詐欺師だと分かった。
I found out he was a fraud.
Literally 'fake thing', but can refer to a person who is a phony or impostor.
A cheat or swindler, often in gambling or street tricks.
An object or document that is fraudulent, counterfeit, or not what it claims to be.
Forgery or counterfeiting, used for documents, money, etc.
偽造パスポートが見つかった。
A fraudulent passport was found.
Illegitimate or dishonest; often used in compounds like 不正請求 (fraudulent billing).
詐欺 (sagi) means the crime of fraud, not the person. To call someone a fraud, use 詐欺師 (sagishi) or 偽物 (nisemono).
詐欺 is the formal, legal term for fraud. ペテン is a casual, old-fashioned word for a trick or swindle, often used in conversation.
あの医者は偽物だった。
That doctor was a fraud.
いかさま師に騙された。
I was tricked by a fraudster.
Fraudulent billing was uncovered.